


Falling

by kagezai



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Apologies, Awkward Kageyama Tobio, Canon Compliant, Confessions, Denial of Feelings, Feelings, Fluff, Kageyama Tobio is Bad at Feelings, Love, M/M, Making Up, Oikawa Tooru Being Oikawa Tooru, Oikawa Tooru is a Little Shit, Pining Kageyama Tobio, Soft Kageyama Tobio, Soft Oikawa Tooru, basically they talk on the phone, honestly so is oikawa, i wrote this at 3am, oikawa loves to tease, pining oikawa tooru?, soft shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:47:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24552604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kagezai/pseuds/kagezai
Summary: Kageyama receives an unexpected phone call at midnight from the last person he thought would dial his number.
Relationships: Kageyama Tobio/Oikawa Tooru
Comments: 22
Kudos: 198





	Falling

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for any grammar mistakes. I checked this like five times but I could be blind :)

Kageyama often found himself crumbling under Oikawa’s gaze, breaking into pieces, even if that gaze contained malice and hatred. Oikawa was intoxicating in the worst way possible, in a way that damaged his health and mental state. He had wanted to forget about the boy’s existence. Replace his memory with volleyball and his new friends at Karasuno. He didn’t intend for their paths to ever cross again. Of course, that didn’t stop the universe from bringing the chestnut haired boy back to him. At every turn. 

They had played several matches against each other since he came to Karasuno, each one progressively more aggressive and ruthless, both of them desperately clawing at each other to find out which one would break first. Kageyama had both lost and won to the boy, had been both on the receiving end of Oikawa’s carnivorous frustration and had also projected that same pent up vexation back at him. However, no matter the end result, Kageyama had always found himself clinging onto whatever he could get out of the older boy, ignoring the inner turmoil in his chest every time the chocolate eyes landed on him, a fire dancing in those circles. 

It was the night of the match that he had played against Shiratorizawa, the match that Karasuno had won to earn themselves a place in Nationals. The feeling of victory and what that meant hadn’t fully set in yet, his heart still skipping multiple beats. Nevertheless, he was curled up on his futon as he stared holes into his ceiling. It was pathetic, really. Utterly idiotic. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat, suddenly becoming aware of how dry and chapped his lips had become. He felt agitated. 

Even though he knew he shouldn’t, somewhere in the back of his mind he had hoped that Oikawa would text him something. Anything. He had caught the boy watching in the bleachers with Iwaizumi for whatever reason, those beautiful eyes carefully observing and taking in what was happening. He wasn’t sure whether Oikawa knew that he had been spotted but their eyes had never met so it was impossible to tell. Of course, he was constantly in the game, setting the ball and having no time to spare thinking about the boy. It was only when he was momentarily switched with Sugawara that he noticed. 

Slowly, he reached for the phone laying face down beside his futon. No new messages. He let it fall as he pressed his face against his pillow, biting his lip and screwing his eyes shut. Back in middle school, it was mandatory for everyone to have the captain’s phone number in case of emergencies. Kageyama had never deleted it and remained hopeful that Oikawa hadn’t either. It was more likely that as soon as the boy graduated he had blocked his kouhai all together but Kageyama forced himself not to dwell on it and remain as optimistic as possible. 

He didn’t know when he had fallen asleep, but soon he was fading into a fitful slumber with the image of the older setter glued behind his eyelids. 

— 

Nationals were only in a couple of days time. Kageyama had been busy with the Youth Training Club and endless practice. He had met the so-called ‘best setter in all of Japan’, Miya Atsumu from Inarizaki. The boy had known exactly what buttons to press to elicit a reaction from him, despite trying his hardest to not let the setters' words get to him. It hadn’t worked. For a brief moment, he had returned to the same ‘King of the Court’ he had been in his last year of middle school and when he was starting Karasuno. What he would never admit out loud, was the fact that Atsumu had acted way too much like someone else he knew. That someone else being Oikawa. He could imagine the boy in the blonde setter. Could see him reflected in Atusmu’s eyes when he had called him a ‘goody two shoes’, eyes so similar as they pierced through him like ice. It brought back a wave of memories. Oikawa in middle school. Their matches in Karasuno. Catching him watching his match against Shiratorizawa. Lying in bed that same night, stupidly waiting on a text he knew he had no chance of receiving. 

Atsumu’s open egotistical personality had also clashed with Oikawa’s. Kageyama found himself trying to ignore the boy more than anything. Ignoring the image of Oikawa now firmly planted inside of his mind despite spending all those weeks trying to forget him. All his hard work had been ruined. He knew that if he didn’t regain his composure, everything he had tried to forget for _years_ would crash out of him in ugly sobs and cries. 

Luckily, he always had something to do during the camp and volleyball was the best distraction he could ask for. 

— 

The days passed almost on autopilot for Kageyama and suddenly it was the night before they were scheduled to leave for Nationals. He was laying on his futon, painfully similar to the way he had been on the day he had won the qualifiers. This time though, he wasn’t expecting a text message. His thoughts were restless and raging but he wasn’t getting his hopes up for a miracle. He could feel exhaustion crawl at the corners of his eyelids as he slowly began to allow the darkness to consume him. However, he was jerked awake by the sound of his phone ringing. 

Kageyama rubbed at his eyes, wondering who could be calling at this hour. He had set a custom ringtone for Hinata (as insisted by the smaller boy) and no one else had ever called him before. His parents and sister were also asleep. He realised he still hadn’t answered and it had been a few seconds. He picked up the phone, not bothering to check the caller ID first, and tiredly drawled out, “Hello? Who is this?” 

Upon hearing the voice on the other line, he was fully wrenched awake, eyes wide in shock and lips slightly ajar, “Tobio-chan? About time you picked up. You know, it’s rude to leave your upperclassmen waiting.” 

Kageyama was certain he could _feel_ the pout on the other side, pupils still blown wide as he sat desperately unsure whether this was a dream, “O-Oikawa-san? I...Why are you calling me?” 

He didn’t mean for it, but he was certain his voice came out as a timid whisper. His chest felt heavy as he took shallow breaths, the room silent as he waited for the other’s reply. Even though they weren’t physically together, Kageyama still felt as if there was tension hanging thick in the air. He also quickly made sure that it was in fact the older boy calling, freezing up when the ID read Oikawa-senpai. He cringed at the honorific, troubled that he had forgotten to change it after all this time. 

He heard Oikawa hesitate, “I just..” He heard a small breath being sucked in before the voice picked back up again, “I heard you were going to Nationals tomorrow.” 

Kageyama felt something in his chest flip as he forced the emotions threatening to bubble over the surface back down, locking them tight in the pit of his stomach. Oikawa had actually bothered to call him. More importantly, he had kept his phone number after all these years and they were actually talking, having a normal conversation as if the previous fire held between them never existed, as if the glares that had previously pierced each other’s hearts were gone. 

“Yeah..” He replied, unsure of what to say. He was still taken aback and struggling for words. 

He heard shuffling and figured Oikawa was probably in bed too, judging by the ungodly hour he had called. As he quickly glanced at the time, he realised with a start that it was a few minutes past midnight. 

“I’m sorry for calling you this late. I just remembered how I felt before the match against Shiratorizawa. I couldn’t fall asleep at all!” He heard the setter chuckle softly and his heart melted, definitely skipping several beats. 

Kageyama didn’t feel like mentioning he was almost falling asleep as that would only probably provoke Oikawa enough to end the call and he desperately wanted to keep hearing the other boy’s voice. It was soothing and a little tired, giving it a cute sort of edge that felt totally different than the bitter one he had only ever experienced. 

“Oh.” Was all he could say. 

There was a pause. 

“So unresponsive, Tobio-chan! I feel like I’m the one carrying this conversation. You can be more enthusiastic about hearing from your favourite senpai.” 

He flinched upon hearing Oikawa referring to himself as that, knowing it wasn’t exactly true however unable to quite grasp the words to mention that as they got stuck in his throat. 

“I’m sorry. It’s just that I didn’t expect you to call and stuff...” 

“Yeah..” Oikawa’s voice had become even softer, if that was even possible, and was dangerously leaning on how it sounded whenever he talked to Iwaizumi. But Kageyama was definitely not Iwaizumi. He was the setter’s best friend and he was just his sworn enemy, someone he hated. 

“I don’t really know why I called. I found myself feeling anxious and before I knew it I was dialling your number. How I still have it is beyond me. Might have to block you after this.” 

Kageyama felt his heart drop at the last line, more that he would have liked, and when he didn’t reply Oikawa’s laughter sounded through the phone, “I’m kidding! God, you’re such a dramatic brat. You should be thanking me for calling you. I bet this will guarantee your victory.” 

He visibly relaxed, unable to keep the smile off his face. He had never heard Oikawa talk like this, at least not to him, and he was pleasantly surprised by it, embracing the warmth it brought to his chest. 

“Thank you, Oikawa-san. I appreciate it.” 

He didn’t know what expression Oikawa wore, but he hoped it was a positive one. The warmth had started spreading through his entire body and he could barely sit still, his eyes bright despite the darkness encompassing him. 

There was a small huff, “Yeah. You should.” 

A silence washed over them. Kageyama found himself searching for anything to say, still not quite recovered from the initial shock of Oikawa calling him in the first place. However, after a while, he was the first one to break it, “I-I’m happy to hear you...your voice..” 

Oikawa was quiet, the only sound being his slow and steady breaths that Kageyama could only hear if he strained his ear hard enough. 

Suddenly, just when he feared the other boy had hung up, he answered, “I didn’t know Tobio-chan loved the sound of me that much! How cute!” 

Kageyama blushed, thankful that Oikawa couldn’t see him. He knew the other boy was just teasing him like always did but those tiny, harmless words that probably meant nothing to the older setter set his heart racing, faster than he could even keep up with. He realised how fragile he had become when it came to Oikawa. How fragile he had always had been. Despite everything. 

“I-I..” He stuttered, “It’s not like that it’s just...” He trailed off. 

“Hm?” The older boy pressed, his voice slightly lower than usual and dripping with something akin to amusement. 

“It’s just something different, I guess.” He managed, wondering whether Oikawa could hear his heart pounding against his ribcage through the phone. 

“Oh?” The boy’s laughter returned, “That’s it, then. You’re only used to me being mean to you, right?” 

Kageyama stayed silent. 

“Well, you deserve it on the court when you’re acting like a spoiled little shit.” 

He felt his breathing stutter, coming out as a choked whisper of air. Oikawa always made him so unbelievably flustered, unable to register anything else but his presence. Even if the words were as sharp as knives, dipped in poison and cutting through him, he loved hearing them. 

“Fair enough, then.” Kageyama’s voice was barely above a whisper and he wondered whether Oikawa had even heard him. 

“Whatever. That’s nothing new and I’m glad you acknowledge it, Tobio-chan. I see some of those brain cells are still functioning.” 

There was no bite, no malice, in the setter’s words and Kageyama only chuckled, careful not to be too loud. The fuzzy feeling in his chest had not gone away throughout the entirety of their conversation. Actually, it had remained there throughout every single interaction they had. 

There was yet another silence, this one slightly longer. Kageyama had a lot of questions he wanted to ask Oikawa but he was also worried about scaring him off. He didn’t think Oikawa called him to be stupidly interrogated. 

“Hey..” Kageyama had been so lost in his thoughts that he almost missed the minuscule voice, faint and almost...vulnerable. 

“Yes?” 

A pause. 

Then.. 

“I don’t hate you. You know that, right?” 

Kageyama almost lost his balance...sitting. He had never expected the other boy to state something so openly, something he thought he would never hear in the first place. He was almost certain that Oikawa did hate him. He didn’t quite know how to interpret the latter’s words. He was shaking slightly, voice coming out equally wobbly, “O-Oh...” 

“You thought I did, huh?” Oikawa whispered back, “Though, if that were true why would I be calling you at this hour and wasting my precious sleep? I hope you know I don’t do this for everyone.” 

Kageyama swallowed, his throat tasting of paper. He didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know what was the right thing to say. He was worried that now that he got the tiniest bit of kindness from Oikawa, he would blab about all his feelings, most definitely causing the boy to end the call as soon as possible, block him, and pretend he never existed. 

“Y-Yeah..y-you’re right. I, uh, don’t hate you either, Oikawa-san.” 

A chuckle, something Kageyama was still mesmerised by when he heard it, sounded, “I know.” 

Oikawa’s breathing was slightly louder or maybe Kageyama was holding his breath. He didn’t know. He didn’t care. The only coherent thing rushing through his head was the image of Oikawa, the beautiful, beautiful setter with fluffy, chestnut hair and round, deep, chocolate eyes that lit up the room when crackling brightly and burned it to ashes with their glare. A glare he so often received, it was memorised. Imprinted in his brain. He had never met anyone more perfect than the boy on the other line of the phone. 

“Tobio-chan?” The said perfect boy hummed, “You know what?” 

“Hm?” Kageyama mused. 

“I really hope you win Nationals.” A pause, a voice smaller than he had ever heard before, “You deserve it.” 

He was completely bewildered, his mind battling to try and comprehend the new information. Oikawa was wishing him victory, praising him, completely serious with no sarcasm or tease. This had to be a dream, right? 

“Thank you, Oikawa-san.” He fought to keep his voice level, barely able to keep his heart from launching out of his body. 

“ _No_.” It was strong, firm and assertive, a reminder that Oikawa was still the captain of a volleyball team. It sent a shiver down Kageyama’s spine, “Thank you for making me a better setter. For allowing me to push myself beyond limits I never thought I had. I don’t think I would have made it this far without you.” 

Kageyama’s pupils were on opposite ends of his face, mouth frozen in an ‘o’ shape. However, Oikawa was not finished, “I also...” His voice cracked, and he tensed up upon hearing something so vulnerable coming from Oikawa, directed towards him of all people. “I’m sorry about middle school. I was a shitty person. Acted in ways I shouldn’t have.” 

The memory of Oikawa’s raised hand flashed briefly through his head, then Iwaizumi’s guarded expression as he stopped his friend just in time and the fear and confusion he felt at his senpai’s actions. He didn’t understand the situation back then. Now he did. 

“I really regret that now, and I was so, so stupid not to realise that I-“ Oikawa cut off abruptly, hesitating, “Just...you don’t have to forgive me..” 

“It’s okay. I’ve forgiven you a long time ago.” 

And, it was true. He didn’t hold anything to Oikawa for that. He couldn’t even if he wanted to. He had him wrapped around his finger in ways the other couldn’t even begin to imagine. He wondered what Oikawa was about to say prior, but decided to drop the matter. It was something the other setter had caught before the words rolled off his tongue, for reasons he didn’t know. 

“G-Good.” That was the first time he heard Oikawa stutter and the boy quickly cleared his throat, rushing out, “But for the matches, I do not apologise for. You were a shit and you deserved it. Still can’t believe that it was yours and Chibi-chan’s quick that defeated us.” 

Despite recounting something Kageyama had always thought was a humiliating memory, Oikawa’s voice was surprisingly light and gentle, careful as if one wrong sound and Kageyama would shatter. He smiled even wider. 

“Wouldn’t want it any other way.” 

And so they briefly continued talking, pointless volleyball small talk and Oikawa surprisingly asking for pictures when he gets to Nationals? It was getting more unbelievable. 

When finally they bid their goodbyes, close to 1:30 in the morning, Kageyama settled back into his futon, wrapping the covers around himself. It had gotten surprisingly warm, however it was not an overbearing heat but a peaceful and comfortable one. Safe, even perhaps. 

And all that warmth reminded him of Oikawa, the boy who had called him at midnight, completely caught him off guard and made his heart explode by being so unbearably cute down to his voice and words. He could imagine Oikawa sitting on this bed too, maybe even looking out of the window at the moon, the reflection of his perfect face mirrored on the glass. The boy who had praised and complimented him like he had never done before, wrapping his slender fingers tightly around his heart. 

He had no idea what Oikawa’s feelings were or what they were right now. Still rivals? Perhaps, friends? They didn’t hate each other so the option was available. Despite all of that on his mind, he felt still and at ease, as if being swept under a sea of calm. 

At that moment Kageyama knew that he was going to be alright at Nationals. Any minor or insignificant worries he previously held had been melted away by Oikawa’s comforting voice. Even by his presence alone. The knowledge he was on the other side.. 

He also knew that he had once again fallen deeper into the chaotic, untameable and breathtaking mess that was Oikawa Tooru.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and getting to the end! I wrote this impulsively at 3am and regret nothing.


End file.
